Multiple trolley.



PATBNTED JULY 5, 1904.

, J. s. BRIGGS. MULTIPLE TROLLEY.

APPLICATION I'ILBD JUNE I 1903.

NO MODEL.

2 1 1% m hm UNITED STATES Patented July 5, 1904:.

PATENT OFFICE.

MULTIPLE TROLLEY.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 764,418, dated July 5, 1904.

Application filed June 1, 1903. $eria1No. 159,485. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, Join: SMITH BRIGGS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Los Angeles, in the county of Los Angeles and State of California, have invented a new and useful Multiple Trolley, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to means supported by the trolley-pole for making contact with the trolley-wire.

One object of the device is to provide means for maintaining an uninterrupted contact with the trolley-wire, so that when crossings or cut outs are reached the delivery of current to the car will be continuous.

Another object is to provide means whereby excessive arcing is avoided.

Another object is to provide a device of the character described which will maintain contact with the wire even though the trolley pole should be jarred away from the wire.

Another object is to provide a device which may be applied to the ordinary trolley-pole and used in connection with the ordinary trolley-Wheel without requiring any change in the construction of any of the parts as now in use.

Another object is to provide a device of the character described which is extremely simple, effective, and durable.

Referring to the drawings which illustrate the invention, Figure I is a side elevation of the device shown in contact with the trolleywire. Only the upper portion of the trolleypole is shown. Fig. II is a view similar to Fig. I except that the trolley is shown as having been thrown away from the trolley-wire a considerable distance. Two other positions of the main trolley are illustrated in dotted lines, the main trolley assuming such positions very frequently when the car is running. Fig. III is a plan view of what is shown in Fig. I, one of the supporting-springs being partially broken away to show the attachment of the spring to the harp.

1 designates the trolley-wire.

2 is the ordinary trolley-pole provided with harp 3 and carrying the ordinary trolley 4. The trolley 4 will be referred to as the main trolley for convenience of description.

5 is an auxiliary trolley which is mounted on a shaft 6, the shaft 6 being supported by a pair of flat springs 7, the ends of the springs 7 being curled around the shaft 6 and being held on the shaft 6 by nuts 8. The other ends of the springs 7 are returned and provided with wings 9. The wings 9 may be attached to opposite sides of the harp 3 by bolts 10. The wings may be attached in other ways to the harp, if desired--for instance, by riveting.

The springs 7 are suliiciently strong to hold the'auxiliary trolley 5 in contact with the trolley-wire and are flexible enough to permit of the trolley 5 trailing after the main trolley in going around curves or in encountering kinks in the wire or other obstructions.

During the travel of the car the trolley from time to time is jerked away from the wire from various causes and sometimes is pushed away from the wire by obstructions on the wire; but the auxiliary trolley 5 is kept in contact with the wire by the spring 7, and the delivery of the current to the car is uninterrupted. Moreover, upon sudden downward movement of the main trolley the action upon the springs 7 is such that they are momentarily forced into even stronger contact with the trolley wire. Usually the main trolley is thrown only a very slight distance from the trolley-Wire, enough to bring its flanges be low the wire, so that when it again rises its flanges are very apt to escape the trolley-wire; but with the present invention the auxiliary trolley being on the wire guides the main trolley back onto the wire through the medium of springs 7, and thus considerable trouble is saved. In running over a break the current is first broken through the main trolley; but the delivery of current is uninterrupted, as the auxiliary trolley does not reach the break until the main trolley has passed the break and again receives current, so that the current is at all times delivered through one or the other trolleys or through both.

One great advantage of the invention is that arcing is avoided. When the main trolley breaks from the wire, the resistance of the di electric is such that the current passes through the auxiliary trolley and through the springs 7 instead of arcing from the wire to the main trolley. This prevention of arcing and spark- ICO the medium of springs 7, while if the auxil-- iary trolley has a tendency to leave the wire the main trolley serves to support and retain the auxiliary trolley in position, each trolley acting to hold the other.

The springs 7 act as guards to prevent the auxiliary trolley from catching against a crosswire by deflecting the auxiliary trolley by the wire.

The material of which the springs 7 are 0011- structecl may be of brass or steel orother material, and other supporting means intermediate of the trolley may be used instead of the springs shown.

In the drawings I have only shown two trolleys; but it should be understood that as many auxiliary trolleys or trailers may be used as desired. Three or four trailers could be coupled together by yielding supports, and it is evident that various other changes may be made in the herein described embodiment without departing from the spirit of the in- Vention.

What I claim is In a device of the character described, in combination with the trolley-pole, a main trolley, a pair of flat springs having wings which are attached to opposite sides of the trolleypole, the springs being returned adjacent the pole and being curled at their other ends, a shaft mounted in the curled ends, and an auxiliary trolley mounted on the shaft, and means for holding the springs on the shaft.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses, at Los Angeles, in the county of Los Angeles and State of California, this 22d day of May,.1903.

JOHN SMITH BRIGGS.

- VVituesses:

GEORGE T. HAOKLEY, JULIA TOWNSEND. 

